Boiler water feed



Oct. 13, 1936. D, McD ONALD 2,056,973

BOILER WATER FEED Filed Oct. 15, 1954 of one will suflicei Patented Oct. 13, 1936 PATENT orrice BOILER WATER FEED Dan McDonald, Los Angeles, Calif. Application October 13, 1934, Serial No. 748,171 7 Claims. (01.122-456) This invention is. a liquid feed, and has for its object'to supply liquid from one reservoir to a boiler or other receptacle while another reservoir is "being refilled, and to exert fluid pressure on the liquid in the reservoir which is in use, so as to balance the pressure in the boiler or other receptacle, whereby the liquid is adapted to gravitate'to'the boiler.

3? It'is a further object of theinvention to automatically reverse the operation as each reservoir is emptied, whereby the other reservoir is then subjected to fluidpressure so that the liquid .therein may gravitate to the boiler while the emptied reservoir is relieved of fluid pressure .and is being refilled.

More particularly is it the object of the invention'to utilize the fluid pressure which is alternately relievedfrom the emptied reservoirs, for shutting ofi fluid pressure to the emptied reservoirand opening the fluid pressure supply to the other filled' reservoir, with the fluid pressure which is relieved from the emptied reservoir then 'vented to the atmosphere.

. Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus,

partly in section. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sections on the lines 3-3 and 44 respectively of Fig. 2.

A pair'of reservoirs or tanks are supplied with water from a conduit 2 through branch pipes 33 which each have acheckvalve 4 preventing return flow into the supply conduit; and the tanks are connected by branch pipes 55= to a' 'conduit 6 which feeds water to a boiler (not shown), the pipes 5-5 'being each provided with a check valve 1 for preventingreturn flow into the tanks. Steam from the boiler is supplied to the tanks via pipe'B which has a valvular control 9 and which terminates in branch pipes Ill'|ll leading'to the respective tanks. Each tank is provided with a'steam relief pipe II; and vent pipes l2l2 lead from the pipe II to a commonwent l3, and are provided with-check valves M for preventing return flow to -thetanks.

Each tank has operating mechanism for open ing and closing its steam relief pipe II, with the escaping steam adapted to operate mechanism associated with each tank for actuating'the valvular control 9; and since these mechanisms for the respective tanks are identical 3. description Thesteam'relief pipe I l terminates in a valve seat l1, and a valve [8 cooperates therewith and is mounted on a lever l9 which is pivoted in the tank as shown at 20. The lever I9 is actuated by a rod 2| which extends vertically in thetank, and a float 22 is guided'on the verticalrod and is. movable between and adapted to engage spaced abutments 23'-24 which are adjustably fixed on the guide rod. When the tank is emptied of water the float 22 engages the lower abutment 24. to depress the rod 2| and open the valve l8 as shown at tank I (Fig. 1), and when the tank is filled the float engages the upper abutment 23 to elevate theguide rod and close the valve as shown Fig. 1, the pipes l2--I2 which vent this escaping steam being of restricted capacity compared with the pipes ll so as to insure aback pressure suflicient to flex the diaphragms before the steam is completely vented to the atmosphere. A plunger 28, normally retracted by a spring 29, is projected by the flexed diaphragm as shown at the left of Fig. 1 and is connected to a lever which is in turn connected to a push rod, the

push rods for the respective operating mechanisms being shown at 3| and 3h.

The valvular control 9 has an operating shaft 32 which is swung in opposite directions by the respective push rods 3I-3l and for this purpose the shaft 32 has a lever 33 fixed thereto, and the rods 3I3l each have an abutment 34 adjustable therealong and adapted to respectively engage the lever 33 and swing it in opposite directions when the respective diaphragms 2l5-2i5 are flexed by steam pressure escaping from their corresponding tanks.

Oscillation of shaft 32 opens one and closes the other of pipes ,l 0-! 0 to the steam supply pipe 8 and as an instance of this arrangement the casing of valvular control 9 supports a pair of valve seats 36 for the respective pipes |0l0 and valves 3! cooperate therewith and are mounted on the respective ends of a rocker arm 38 which is medially fixed on the shaft 32. When the diaphragm of tank I is flexed its push rod 3! thus rocks the shaft 32 so as to close the valve 3'! for its pipe l0 and open the valve for the pipe Ill which leads to the other tank l and when the diaphragm of tank I is flexed its push rod 3I- swings the shaft The tank 'I is thus refilled via pipe 3, being vented to the atmosphere via pipe I2, while the steam pressure in tank I discharges water therefrom via pipe 5 to the boiler feed conduit 6. When tank .I is refilled its float 22 closes its valve I8 and when tank I is emptied its float 22 opens its valve I8. The steam pressure in tank I is thus relieved via its pipe I I, with the escaping pressure flexing the diaphragm 26 and eventually venting to the atmosphere via pipe I2. The diaphragm 26 thus projects rod 3| so as torock the shaft 32 to the position opposite to that shown at Fig; 3. Pipe III is thus closed so as to shut ofi steam pressure to tank I in order that said tank maythen refill, and pipe I 0 is opened for supplying steam pressure to the refilled tank I, thereby forcing water from this tank via the pipe 5 and the boiler fee-d conduit 6.

When tank I is then in turn emptied as shown at Fig. 1, its valve I8 is automatically opened and steam pressure is relieved via its pipe I I for flexing the diaphragm 26 before escape to the atmosphere, with the diaphragm 26 thus actuating the push rod 3| to return the shaft 32 to the position shown at Fig. 3 for repeating the cycle of operation. 7

It will be noted that the check valve 4 in the 7 water supply conduit 3 or 3 leading to the tank which is being subjected to steam pressure, closes said tank against escape of steam pressure, and that the check valve 1 in the water feed line 5 or 5 of the other tank, prevents the water which is being fed to the boiler backing up into the other tank. In similar manner the steam which is being vented to the atmosphere through one of the pipes I2I 2%, is prevented by the check valve I4 in the other of said pipes from backing up into and actuating the opposite diaphragm 26-46.

By utilizing the exhaust steam for actuating the corresponding diaphragm 262(i to reverse the valvular control 9 and then discharging this exhaust steam to the atmosphere through a restricted vent, a sufiicient back pressure is assured to flex the diaphragm, but by venting to the atmosphere so that all of the exhaust steam may then escape, the possibility is eliminated of the alternate actuation of the respective operating mechanisms being interfered with by leakage from one side of the system to the other.

I claim:

I. In a boiler water feed, a pair of reservoirs, means for supplying water to the respective reservoirs, means for conducting water from the respective reservoirs to a boiler, means for preventing return flow to the respective reservoirs and to the water supply means, a control for selectively supplying steam from the boiler to the respective reservoirs and shutting off said steam supply to the other reservoir, a pair of operating means for actuating the control to selectively supply steam to the respective reservoirs, steam operate-d means for actuating the respective operating means, a

steam supply conduit leading from the respective reservoirs to the respective steam operated means, a restricted vent for said steam supply conduits, a valve controlling each steam supply conduit,

and a float operating each valve in accordance with the water level in the corresponding reservoir.

2. In a boiler water feed, a pair of reservoirs, means for supplying water to the respective reservoirs, means for conducting water from the respective reservoirs to a boiler, a control for selectively supplying steam from the boiler to the respective reservoirs and shutting off said steam supply to the other reservoir, a pair of operating means for actuating the control to selectively supply steam to the respective reservoirs, steam operated means for actuating the respective operating means, a steam supply conduit leading from the respective reservoirs to the respective steam operated means, a valve controlling each supply conduit, and a float operating each valve in accordance with the water level in the corresponding reservoir.

3. In a liquid feed, a pair of reservoirs, means for supplying liquid to each reservoir, a discharge for liquid leading from each reservoir, a vent for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, a fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, and means for opening the vent and closing the fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at low level and for closing the vent and opening the fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at high level, one reservoir being arranged to discharge liquid while the other reservoir is receiving liquid.

4. In a liquid feed, a pair of reservoirs, means for supplying liquid to each reservoir, a discharge for liquid leading from each reservoir, a vent for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, a fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, and float controlled means for opening the vent and closing the fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at low level and for closing the vent and opening the fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at high level, one reservoir being arranged to discharge liquid while the other reservoir is receiving liquid.

5. In a liquid feed, a pair of reservoirs, means for supplying liquid to each reservoir, a discharge for liquid leading from each reservoir, a vent for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, a fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir adapted to be opened or closed, float mechanism operable in accordance with the liquid level in the reservoirs, and means controlled by the float mechanism for opening the vent and closing the fluid pressure supply means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at low level and for closing the vent and opening the fluid pressure supply. means for each reservoir when the liquid in the corresponding reservoir is at high level, one reservoir beingarranged to discharge liquid while the other. reservoir is for each reservoir when the liquid'in the corresponding reservoir is respectively at low and high level, and means operated by discharge of fluid pressure from each reservoir for closing the fluid pressure supply means for the corresponding reservoir and opening the fluid pressure supply means for the other reservoir, one reservoir being arranged to discharge liquid while the other reservoir is receiving liquid.

7. In a boiler water feed, a. pair of reservoirs, means for supplying water to each reservoir, means for conducting water from each reservoir to a boiler, a steam supply conduit for each reservoir, a steam discharge conduit for each reservoir, means for respectively opening and closing the steam discharge conduit for each reservoir when the water in the corresponding reservoir is respectively at low and high level, and steam operated mechanism connected to the steam discharge conduits and adapted to close the steam supply conduit for that reservoir which has its steam discharge conduit open and adapted to open the steam supply conduit for the other reservoir, one reservoir being arranged to discharge l0 liquid while the other reservoir is receiving liquid.

' DAN MCDONALD. 

